The planning application for a new Aldi supermarket next to the One sixth form college on the outskirts of Ipswich is due to be discussed by Babergh council next week.

Aldi wants to build the supermarket on land owned by Ipswich council – but which is just over the borough boundary.

As well as the 1,820 sq metre store, it will also create a 105-space car park for shoppers on land between the college and land set aside for Fred Olsen Lines – next to the Veterinary centre that is currently being built.

The company says the new supermarket would create about 50 jobs, mainly for local people, and they hope it will open during 2016.

The application is due to be discussed by Babergh’s planning committee next Wednesday, May 27, but local councillor David Busby said the main issue is likely to be traffic to the store.

He said: “There seems to be a general acceptance around the area that the store would be good competition for Tesco and the local Co-op.

“From what I have heard Aldi has a pretty good reputation and many people would like to have a store nearby.

“But there are already serious problems with traffic in that part of Pinewood, especially when people are arriving at and leaving the college.”

Fellow Pinewood councillor Peter Burgoyne agreed that traffic was the major issue – and felt it would be sensible for Suffolk County Council to send a highway engineer to the planning meeting to deal with the concerns of Babergh planners.

He said: “What we are talking about here is the cumulative effect. The store itself does have support and most people think it would be good for the area.

“But when you add that to the proposals for new homes at Belstead House and for the new development next to the Holiday Inn, it will put incredible pressure on the A1214 and that is clearly something we shall need to consider in some detail.”

Mr Busby said there was talk of making a condition of the planning permission that traffic could only turn left into or out of the store – but the applicants suggested that most people would not be trying to reach it at the busiest times of the day in any case.